Beware, Beware

Hesta stood where she was for a moment, then suddenly turned back.

"You said that if they abducted someone, we could abduct her back the same way."

"She left on her own."

"She did not."

"Let it end here, Jane," Yu Xuekun said softly. "It's over."

Hesta stayed in Eucali's apartment for the entire weekend.

She recalled everything that had happened over the past few months, trying to find the crux of the problem, but every analysis ultimately turned into chewing over her pain.

On Sunday morning, someone knocked on the door. Hesta opened it and found Cheng Xiaoshu standing outside.

"Why are you here?" Cheng Xiaoshu asked. "Where's Eucali?"

"...She left," Hesta said quietly.

Cheng Xiaoshu frowned, a trace of regret passing through her eyes.

"All right. She said she wanted to borrow a book from me, so I thought I'd bring it over today." Cheng Xiaoshu entered the apartment. "Are you all right? Has she contacted you again?"

"No."

Cheng Xiaoshu glanced over the delivery containers piled up in the living room. "Come on. Let's go for a walk."

The two walked down the street toward the school. Hesta remained silent the entire time, and before they knew it, they had returned to Industrial University. They followed the tree-lined road, crossed the athletic field and the lawn, and finally arrived at the artificial lake on the east side of campus. Cheng Xiaoshu spoke of her recent interactions with Eucali. Though Eucali's departure had come suddenly, it had not surprised her much.

"She was bound to go back sooner or later," Cheng Xiaoshu said. "Some people leave home only so they can return to it."

Hesta continued to stare coldly at the lake, as though she were listening and thinking, yet also as though she were wholly immersed